Synopsis:

Heavenly Creatures meets The Hand That Rocks the Cradle in this exciting debut novel about friendship, love and jealousy.

Once upon a time they were best friends. They were all friends. So when Jenny moved to Australia to focus on her swimming career, she not only lost Kath, but her soul-mate Tom. It was for the best. Or so they said. Now, eight years later, Jenny seeks out her childhood friend and heads to rural France where Kath has settled. At first the women fall back into a close relationship, but before long strange and malicious behaviour leads Jenny to realise the truth: that Kath has played a clever game all along to manipulate and control those around her. And Jenny is her biggest victim.

Set against the glorious backdrop of the Languedoc lavender fields, The Good Friend is a beautifully written psychological drama about love, lies and a dangerous obsession. Because once the truth is revealed, there’s no going back…

Review:

Ominous, slick, and unnerving!

The Good Friend is a slow-burning, character-driven thriller that delves into just how much our relationships and friendships can define us and highlights just how parasitic and manipulative some of them can truly be.

The prose is edgy and tense. The characters are complex, deceptive, and vulnerable. And the plot builds steadily creating tension, suspicion, and unease as it unravels a sinister tale of friendship, love, secrets, lies, deception, jealousy, violence, and revenge.

Overall, I would have to say that The Good Friend is a brooding, malicious, atmospheric tale that kept me riveted from start to finish and had an ending that left me, in a good way, completely unsettled.

This book is available on February 21, 2019.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

Thank you to RedDoor Publishing and Jo Baldwin for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Jo Baldwin

Since completing a degree in French, Jo Baldwin has spent a large proportion of her life in France, first in Paris where she worked in magazine publishing, and later in the Languedoc where she has a holiday home. Jo now lives in Oxford with her husband and three children and works in educational publishing.

Synopsis:

Fall in love with Addison Cole’s rich and romantic storytelling, and discover the magic of the Montgomerys.

In The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever…Leaving New York City and returning to her hometown to teach a screenplay writing class seems like just the break Grace Montgomery needs. Until her sisters wake her at four thirty in the morning to watch the hottest guys in town train wild horses and she realizes that escaping her sisters’ drama-filled lives was a lot easier from hundreds of miles away. To make matters worse, she spots the one man she never wanted to see again-ruggedly handsome Reed Cross.

Reed was one of Michigan’s leading historical preservation experts, but on the heels of catching his girlfriend in bed with his business partner, his uncle suffers a heart attack. Reed cuts all ties and returns home to Oak Falls to run his uncle’s business. A chance encounter with Grace, his first love, brings back memories he’s spent years trying to escape.

Grace is bound and determined not to fall under Reed’s spell again-and Reed wants more than another taste of the woman he’s never forgotten. When a midnight party brings them together, passion ignites and old wounds are opened. Grace sets down the ground rules for the next three weeks. No touching, no kissing, and if she has it her way, no breathing, because every breath he takes steals her ability to think. But Reed has other ideas…**

The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever is a Sweet with Heat novel and conveys all of the passion you’d expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. If you’re looking for a more explicit romance, pick up the steamy edition, Embracing Her Heart, written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole is Melissa’s sweet-romance pen name.

EXCERPT:

“Grace…” Even after a decade her name tasted sinfully good rolling off his tongue.

Her hand slid from the doorknob, hanging limply by her side. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. A long moment later, “Reed,” slipped from her lips like the secret he’d once been.

His gut clenched with longing. He couldn’t help but study her—and that angered him as much as it eased the worries about his ability to feel that had plagued him for years. He hadn’t been all in with a woman since Grace, and he’d begun to think he’d exaggerated what he’d felt when they were together. But there was no misreading the heat thrumming through him. She looked incredible, and confused, and as her hand settled on her hip—the hand he remembered all too well digging into his back when they’d made love all those years ago—he realized she also looked angry. Definitely angry.

But still incredible.

In the space of a breath he was fighting the urge to figure out how to spend time with her and recapture the fire between them despite everything she’d put him through.

“Are you done gawking?” she snapped.

“I…Sorry. You caught me off guard. I was expecting to see your parents.” He held her gaze, forcing a smile even though he suddenly felt stuck somewhere between a teenager caught peering through a window, a jealous ex-boyfriend, and a lust-filled man.

She folded her arms over her chest, forcing a barrier between them, and smirked.

Ouch—

At least he hoped it was a smirk rather than a scowl. After the clues he’d missed with his ex-girlfriend, Alina, who had been sleeping with his now ex-business partner, he no longer trusted his instincts where women were concerned. And when it came to Grace Montgomery, he’d never been able to think past the emotions she stirred within him and the future he’d hoped they’d have. She was the tsunami that had obliterated everything else in his world, and as he struggled to find his voice, he fought the urge to tangle his hands in her thick, lustrous hair and remind her of what she’d walked away from.

“I hope you don’t look at my mother like that,” she snapped.

“What? No. C’mon, Grace.” In her eyes he was probably a quintessential jerk, checking her out without any thought to their past. In reality, he’d been taken just as off guard by his leering as she was. “I don’t usually—”

“Don’t usually let your eyes wander?” She scoffed. “Right.”

“Believe it or not, yes,” he said angrily. “Who do you think I’ve become? I didn’t expect you to walk out here at all, much less wearing nearly nothing and…” He tried to figure out what to say next, what to feel…

“Why are you here, Reed?”

He didn’t need this. Not when he had just begun rebuilding his life. After being screwed over by Alina, he’d vowed to stay away from anything that made his head spin, and Grace definitely made his head spin.

He studied her, while trying not to at the same time. The chip on her shoulder was bigger now, overshadowing the sexy smirk on her lips. She’d always exuded confidence, but somehow that, too, seemed more intense. His heart thumped harder with the memory of the first time he’d spotted her standing on the sidelines in her cute cheerleading uniform as he headed out to the football field. She’d challenged him with her glare, as if she were playing on the rival team rather than cheering for them. She’d hated that cheerleading outfit, but man, he’d loved it. And that challenge she’d emitted? He’d taken her up on that in a hot second.

But she’d kicked him to the curb once, he reminded himself. Why was he giving her any consideration at all? He had a job to do, and sure, he’d momentarily lost his footing and checked her out, but it wasn’t like that was a crime. She was hot, and they had history. That’s as far as it goes.

About Addison Cole

Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.

Addison is proud to be part of the Main Street Romance family, a partnership with bestselling authors Nancy Naigle, RaeAnne Thayne, and Chris Keniston, bringing sweet happy-ever-after love stories to the Main Street Romance community. Join them at www.MainStreetRomance.com ~ open 24/7 just for you.

Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.

SIGN UP for ADDISON'S Sweet with Heat newsletter. Fun, flirty romance with a dash of heat. www.AddisonCole.com/Newsletter

DOWNLOAD the first book in Addison's Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers series free: READ, WRITE, LOVE AT SEASIDE here on Amazon.

Synopsis:

Bestselling Brianna Middleton has won the hearts of millions of readers with her sweeping – and steamy – love stories. But the girl behind the typewriter is struggling… Not only does she have writer’s block, but she’s a world-famous romance author with zero romance in her own life.

So the opportunity to spend the summer teaching at a writer’s retreat in an idyllic villa on the shores of Lake Garda – owned by superstar author Arran Jamieson – could this be just the thing to fire up Brie’s writing – and romantic – mojo?

Brie’s sun-drenched Italian summer could be the beginning of this writer’s very own happy-ever-after…

Escape the January blues with this sun-drenched, heart-warming story from the bestselling author of Snowflakes Over Holly Cove.

Review:

Winsome, engaging, and lush!

Summer on the Italian Lakes is the uplifting, humorous story of Brie, a young romance writer who heads to Lake Garda to help out at a writing retreat even though her own heart, focus, and self-confidence are in tatters after a recent, public breakup.

The writing is beautiful and vivid. The characters are endearing, intriguing, and authentic. And the plot is a wonderful mix of life, love, family, friendship, light drama, self-discovery, romance, and all the ins and outs of writing a novel.

Overall, Summer on the Italian Lakes is another sophisticated, tender, intriguing tale by Coleman that once again highlights her phenomenal ability to sweep you away to another place through her passion and knowledge for its food, landscape, and culture.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

About Lucy Coleman

From interior designer to author, Linn - who also writes under the pen name of Lucy Coleman - says ‘it’s been a fantastic journey!’

Linn is the bestselling author of more than a dozen novels and is excited to be writing for both Harper Impulse (Harper Collins) and Aria Fiction (Head of Zeus); she’s represented by Sara Keane of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.

When she’s not writing, or spending time with the family, she’s either upcycling furniture or working in the garden.

Linn won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award; her novels have been short-listed in the UK's Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards.

Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her ‘rock’, Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she freely admits she’s an eternal romantic.

Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.

Giveaway:

*Terms and Conditions – UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Synopsis:

Lifestyle journalist and thirty-something singleton Melissa hashtags, insta’s and snapchats her supposedly fabulous life on every social media platform there is.

That is until she wakes up on her birthday, another year older and still alone, wondering if for all her internet dates, love really can be found online? The challenge: go technology free for a whole month!

Forced to confront the reality of her life without its perfect filters, Melissa knows she needs to make some changes. But when she bumps into not one, but two gorgeous men, without the use of an app, she believes there could be hope for love offline.

If only there was a way to choose the right guy for her…

Review:

Sweet, warm, and romantic!

The Secret to Falling in Love is the humorous, heartwarming story of Melissa, an independent, single, thirty-five-year-old whose ready to settle down and have a family, but after online dating proves fruitless and inspiration comes in the form of The Matrix she decides to go entirely unplugged for thirty days to see if love might actually find her offline.

The writing is effortless and light. The characters are intriguing, supportive, and genuine. And the plot is an enchanting mix of friendship, family, light drama, awkward moments, tricky situations, swoon-worthy romance, and the endless ups and downs of dating.

Overall, The Secret to Falling in Love is a fresh, uplifting, timely tale by Cooke with some beautiful imagery and a storyline that will definitely leave you smiling.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

About Victoria Cooke

Victoria Cooke grew up in the city of Manchester before crossing the Pennines in pursuit of a career in education. She now lives in Huddersfield with her husband and two young daughters and when she’s not at home writing by the fire with a cup of coffee in hand, she loves working out in the gym and travelling. Victoria was first published at the tender age of eight by her classroom teacher who saw potential in a six-page story about an invisible man. Since then she’s always had a passion for reading and writing, undertaking several writers’ courses before completing her first novel, 'The Secret to Falling in Love,' in 2016.

Giveaway:

*Terms and Conditions – UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Synopsis:

Molly’s dream of taking over her childhood home at Withrin Hill Farm with husband Pip and their three children has finally come true. And, as they settle into the stunning Georgian farmhouse, with their plans to diversify into glamping nicely taking shape, the family couldn’t be happier.But tragedy suddenly strikes, and Molly’s world is turned upside down.

Heartbroken and devastated, she struggles to face each day. True to form, her fiercely loyal best friends, Kitty and Violet, rally round offering love and support, but Molly doesn’t think she’ll ever be able to smile again. Until the day a tall, dark stranger with twinkly eyes arrives…

Follow Molly’s story in book 2 of the Life on the Moors Series set in Lytell Stangdale, a picture-perfect village in the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors, where life is anything but quiet.

A heart-warming story of love, friendship and hope.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy of this novel from your favourite retailer or from the following link!

And now Eliza J. Scott with:

What I’ve Learnt Since Publishing My First Book

Hi there, What’s Better Than Books, it’s great to be on your wonderful blog and thank you for taking part in the Blog Tour for The Talisman – Molly’s Story. I thought I’d share what I’ve learnt since I published my first book – The Letter – Kitty’s Story – in June last year, so here goes:

One of the first things I realised after all of the publication day excitement had settled down, and I was ready to work on the outline I had for The Talisman, was that I would have to be more disciplined with myself in how I organised my time – something I regularly find myself rather short of. Unless my husband can help out, I have to take my daughter to school which is a 1½ hour round-trip, sometimes twice a day, so this can take a huge chunk out of my writing window.

Of course, it’s not just writing I have to squeeze into these precious hours, but I also have to manage my social media platforms, occasionally prepare blog posts and also market my book. Though, I have to say, I’ve met so many wonderful people on Twitter, and being a natural chatter-box, I find I can spend a considerable chunk of my time on there! Not that I’m complaining, the book community is so friendly, supportive and inclusive, and I’ve got to know lots of great people through it.

Since my time has become so precious, I’ve realised that I work better if I set myself targets, which I put into lists, so I can tick things off as I do them; it gives a sense of achievement and makes me feel much more organised. It seems to take the feeling of pressure off, too.

Marketing is something that I’ve learnt such a lot about since last June – and continue to do so. At first, I thought that being an indie-author was just about writing a book, publishing it and then sitting back, waiting for sales. Duh! How wrong was I? It didn’t take me long to realise that indie authors need to be constantly proactive in finding successful ways of advertising their books to potential readers, and then keep up with the changes that take place along the way. It certainly keeps you on your toes!

While I was preparing to publish the paperback of The Letter – Kitty’s Story, my old laptop was becoming so slow and lethargic. Everything seemed to take forever to get done on it – even the simple task of starting it up, took forever, which was incredibly frustrating. After just about tearing my hair out, I decided to take the plunge and treat myself to an Apple MacBook Air, and I can honestly say, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made. This change also meant that I could download Vellum, the book formatting programme (0nly available for Macs), which, oh my goodness, is such a joy to use and has saved me heaps of precious time. And, here’s a little fact for you: I discovered that it was actually developed by two colleagues (both called Brad) who used to work for Pixar. With their skills, it explains why it’s so awesome!

So, there you are, I really feel I’ve learnt a lot since The Letter – Kitty’s Story hit the virtual shelves on Amazon last year, and can only imagine what I’ll learn after The Talisman – Molly’s Story is published.

Eliza Jxxx

About Eliza J. Scott

Eliza lives in a 17th-century cottage on the edge of a village in the North Yorkshire Moors with her husband, their two daughters and two mischievous black Labradors. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book/glued to her Kindle or working in her garden. Eliza also enjoys bracing walks in the countryside, rounded off by a visit to a teashop where she can indulge in another two of her favourite things: tea and cake.

Eliza is inspired by her beautiful surroundings and loves to write heart-warming stories with happy endings.

Giveaway:

*Terms and Conditions – Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Synopsis:

More than just a holiday romance?

Her daughter, her job and divorcing her untrustworthy ex are Leah’s main priorities. She isn’t really bothered that her life might be missing a few things. But after winning a prestigious travel blogger award, she’s inundated with offers to review glamorous holiday destinations. Lying around drinking exotic cocktails and being paid for it! What could be better?

Perhaps a romantic trip to idyllic Greece to find the one man who might make Leah risk her heart again…

Review:

Warm, uplifting, and wonderfully descriptive!

A Greek Affair is the heartwarming, engaging story of Leah, a hardworking, single mom, whose life takes a turn for the better when her success as a travel blogger enables her to enjoy more time with her daughter, explore idyllic locations, develop new friendships, confront a past full of hardships and heartbreak, and potentially meet the man of her dreams.

The writing is light and precise. The characters are compassionate, supportive, and dependable. And the plot is an enchanting mix of drama, emotion, funny mishaps, friendship, family, love; as well as an insightful view into the city of Athens.

Overall, A Greek Affair is pure escapism. It’s another entertaining, thoughtful tale by Halton with such exquisite imagery it will leave you yearning to travel and dreaming of blue skies, sunny days, and endless nights.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

About Linn B. Halton

From interior designer to author, Linn - who also writes under the pen name of Lucy Coleman - says ‘it’s been a fantastic journey!’

Linn is the bestselling author of more than a dozen novels and is excited to be writing for both Harper Impulse (Harper Collins) and Aria Fiction (Head of Zeus); she’s represented by Sara Keane of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.

When she’s not writing, or spending time with the family, she’s either upcycling furniture or working in the garden.

Linn won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award; her novels have been short-listed in the UK's Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards.

Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her ‘rock’, Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she freely admits she’s an eternal romantic.

Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.

Giveaway:

*Terms and Conditions – UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Synopsis:

Max has crushed on Brie for as long as he’s known her but the timing was never right. When he finds out they’re finally single at the same time, he’s poised to move from friend zone to serious dating… until he finds out she’s only looking for something physical. He offers his services in hopes she’ll come around. Just when things are starting to go his way, a shocking turn of events snatches her from his grasp. Now he has to resurrect the life he thought he’d left behind to help the woman he’s falling in love with before it’s too late.

EXCERPT:

“Sabrina!” Jacqueline’s voice bellows from her doorway. “Come to my office this instant!”

Awesome. My fave.

I breathe out a sigh and head toward the door in the corner. “Hi, Jacqueline. You wanted to see me.”

“I do indeed,” she says, her formality deliberate and intense. “Please have a seat.”

She closes the door, types out something on her keyboard, then takes off her glasses and glares at me as she leans across her desk. She is tall and slim with hair that falls in long, loose, perfect blonde waves, an incongruity against her severe features. Her face is thin, her chin pointed, and her nose looks like it has been broken a number of times. I can see why. I’ve wanted to punch her in her stupid face myself. Her whole appearance is menacing, except for those weirdly soft, bouncing blonde curls.

“Look, I’ll cut to the chase here,” she says.

“O-kay,” I reply, gripping the metal arms of the black leather chair across from her desk in which I’m seated.

“I’ve never much cared for you, Sabrina.” Really? Because here I thought we were besties and you might’ve asked me in to invite me to a girlfriends’ getaway – maybe a wine-tasting tour.

“You flit around the office and act like, just because you’re pretty, the world owes you something.” Where the fuck is this coming from? “You don’t take your job seriously, and honestly, I always assumed I’d end up having to fire you for incompetence.”

My eyes grow wide. She’s always been pretty direct, and clearly not a fan, but this is next-level, even for her.

“I’ve been over the audit reports with Adhira and Philip. I know about the anomaly in the accounts.” She sits upright and crosses her arms. Her lips draw into a narrow line, the edges turned slightly up, and her brows knit together. “Correction, your accounts.” She rolls her eyes, shakes her head, and makes a tsk-tsk sound between her teeth. “I never thought it would come to this.”

About Jennifer Woodhull

We all need moments of escape. With all the demands on us day in and day out, we each need something just for ourselves. Perhaps nothing provides a private moment - a brief respite from every day - like escaping into a great story. When you pick up one of my books I hope you find that place that you can escape to. Explore the streets of Paris with new heroines or fly around the world to reclaim your lost love with a favorite hero. Whether it's the romance that takes your breath away or those climactic encounters that make your pulse race, I hope you find that solitary moment of enjoyment while lost in one of my stories.

Synopsis:

Step one: Pretend you want her to set you up with someone else. That will bring the two of you closer.

Step two: Go on date with lots of random women, proceed to get stupid drunk and talk about your best friend’s sister, thus gaining the courage to finally make a move.

Step three: Randomly show up at her apartment and confess your love. Women love that, right?

It all seemed so simple. A fool-proof three step process that will guarantee the love of you life to fall madly in love with you.

At least–that’s what I thought was going to happen. But my attempts to win over Julia Westin backfired in more ways than I can count. The thing about Julia? She’s smart–really smart–and her wicked gaze cuts through all the charm I’ve tried slinging her way. She’s not interested in games, my gifts, or my stories. She might want me too; but she’s not giving in that easy…

Review:

Sultry, entertaining, and sweet!

The Secret to Dating Your Best Friend’s Sister is a passionate, charming tale that mixes the caring, hardworking Julia who’s determined to use all her knowledge and expertise to find the perfect match for her brother’s best friend, and the delectable, successful Bram who has finally decided to take the risk and act on his feelings for his best friend’s little sister.

The writing is titillating and crisp. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are fun-loving and engaging. And the plot sweeps you away into a sassy, push-pull storyline filled with witty banter, shameless flirting, sizzling chemistry, friendship, family, romance, and light drama.

Overall, The Secret to Dating Your Best Friend’s Sisteris a fabulous read to kick off the new year. I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the storyline, and I loved the swoon-worthy happy-ever-after ending!

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

Synopsis:

Graham Morgan has an MBE for services to mental health, and helped to write the Scottish Mental Health (2003) Care and Treatment Act. This is the Act under which he is now detained. Graham’s story addresses key issues around mental illness, a topic which is very much in the public sphere at the moment. However, it addresses mental illness from a perspective that is not heard frequently: that of those whose illness is so severe that they are subject to the Mental Health Act.Graham’s is a positive story rooted in the natural world that Graham values greatly, which shows that, even with considerable barriers, people can work and lead responsible and independent lives; albeit with support from friends and mental health professionals. Graham does not gloss over or glamorise mental illness, instead he tries to show, despite the devastating impact mental illness can have both on those with the illness and those that are close to them, that people can live full and positive lives. A final chapter, bringing the reader up to date some years after Graham has been detained again, shows him living a fulfilling and productive life with his new family, coping with the symptoms that he still struggles to accept are an illness, and preparing to address the United Nations later in the year in his new role working with the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland.

And now Graham Morgan with:

Inspiration for Start

When I was getting help from writerly friends as I wrote START, I had the occasional bit of advice about the chapters I included about Wendy; a slight “We know you love her, but you don’t need to make it too saccharine, too gushy and cloying!” And I do know that this was good advice but Wendy was the main inspiration for the most important chapters of the book and remains one of the main reasons why my life is currently such a good one.

I had lived a difficult life for a number of years which included a terrible break up of my marriage and estrangement from my son and had become used to admissions to hospital when I only wanted to die. Meeting Wendy, finding out that I could love again and be loved in turn woke me up, gave me a balance and an energy that was wonderful and also gave me a chance to get closer and closer to my family, made me aware of what people close to me have gone through by keeping me in their life for so many years.

At one point I was inspired by recording my story of what it was like to lose contact with my son, my possessions, my friends. I thought a man’s side of how people can treat each other at such times may be important but as time went by, I tempered this, took out some of the more blatant examples of what happened. I listened to people who said that I was not adding to the story, was maybe motivated by bitterness and anger, began to consider my own behaviour at that time and adapted what I was prepared to say publicly.

I remember a long walk to Lochinver on a hot summer’s afternoon, plagued by clegs and midges but delighted by the land, the sky, the hills, trees and rivers around me; slowly trusting the people I was walking with, with my worries about what I could say when telling my story, when it involves other people who may be more private than me. At that point I found some sort of slight resolution to the need to tell my version of whatever that truth might be. I began to believe that I have a right to tell some of my tale, but maybe not all of it. Which is partly why none of the people I talk of in the book have their real names recorded, apart from Wendy, and why some of the more shameful things people did were not in the final version of the book.

Lastly, apart from the wonderful inspiration and peace that living in the Highlands and latterly in Argyle, by the Clyde, has given me; has been the joy I have had in living with and working with so many people who experience mental illness. In this book I rarely say too much of their stories; maybe that will come in another book. This one is more my story, but their daily experiences, which are often similar to mine, weave themselves throughout it. I have spent my life trying to help my friends and colleagues and acquaintances speak out and bear witness to the gross injustices so many of us experience and those extreme ways of being and feeling or, for that matter, not feeling, that are so hard to describe and which I would so much love to be recorded.

I hesitate to define it properly; I want as much to record the indignity that trauma and mental illness causes; the terrible agonising loneliness and alienation that can come from the experience of mental distress and the reaction of our society to that distress. But also, in contrast, the joy and comradeship that has come when we have joined together as a community to make a difference both for ourselves and others who will experience mental illness in the future. To say that inspires me is an understatement; nearly all my friends have experienced mental illness, nearly all my working life has been working in partnership with them; their willingness to still see the good in other people, despite what has been done to them and what they have experienced in the way of sorrow and sadness, daily invigorates and inspires me.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy of this novel from your favourite retailer or from the following link!

About Graham Morgan

Graham was born in 1963 in York. He went to university as an angst-ridden student and was quickly admitted to one of the old mental asylums, prompting the work he has done for most of his life: helping people with mental illness speak up about their lives and their rights. He has
mainly worked in Scotland, where he has lived for the last thirty years, twenty of them in the Highlands. In the course of this work he has been awarded an MBE, made Joint Service User Contributor of the Year by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and, lately, has spoken at the UN about
his and other peoples’ experiences of detention. He has a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and has been compulsorily treated under a CTO for the last ten years. He currently lives in Argyll with his partner and her young twins. Start is his first book.

Synopsis:

I’m glad I found you this Christmas – an uplifting sweet romance set against the magical backdrop of Christmas.

Maggie Coates is frustrated. Her long-term boyfriend, Dirk, recently moved to London to take a job she fears puts him out of her league. Despite the assurances of her best friend Renee, Maggie is convinced Dirk is slowly drifting away. All Maggie wants is to get married and settle down, but maybe Dirk has other ideas.

Convinced by Renee to make one last throw of the dice, Maggie books a romantic holiday for two in the quaint Scottish village of Hollydell. But will Dirk show up?

And if he doesn’t, what if there is a perfect man waiting for her among the Christmas magic of Hollydell’s snow-laden streets? What if Henry, the humble reindeer farmer with the kind smile, turns out to be the man of Maggie’s dreams?

I’m glad I found you this Christmas is a glowing sweet romance which will leave you feeling warm inside and buzzing with Christmas spirit.

Review:

Warm, quaint, and spirited!

I’m Glad I Found You This Christmas is a really sweet, feel-good, festive romance full of everything that we love about the holidays, Christmas cheer, good times, delicious treats and a touch of magic.

The prose is clear and smooth. The characters are easygoing, friendly, and welcoming. And the plot sweeps you away to a winter wonderland and immerses you into a fanciful tale full of friendship, family, community, heartbreak, holiday traditions, and blossoming romance.

Overall, I’m Glad I Found You This Christmas is a lighthearted, jolly, passionate, holiday read by Ward that reminds us that Christmas is all about family and home is where the heart is.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

About CP Ward

CP Ward is a writer from the UK who currently lives and works in Japan. This is his first Christmas book.

Giveaway:

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